1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a backlight assembly and a display device having the backlight assembly. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention relate to a backlight assembly including light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and a display device having the backlight assembly.
2. Discussion of Related Art
A liquid crystal display (LCD) device is typically thinner and uses less power as opposed to conventional cathode ray tube (CRT) display devices. Thus, LCD devices may be widely employed in monitors, notebook computers, mobile phones, large screen televisions, etc. An LCD device may include an LCD panel to display an image using light transmissivity of liquid crystal and a backlight assembly disposed under the LCD panel to provide the LCD panel with light.
An LCD panel may include an array substrate having a plurality of thin-film transistors (TFTs) disposed in a matrix shape, a color filter substrate facing the array substrate and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the array substrate and the color filter substrate.
The backlight assembly may employ cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFLs) as a light source. However, backlight assemblies employing a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as a light source may use less power and may have higher color reproducibility. Such a backlight assembly may include a light-emitting substrate, LEDs disposed on the light-emitting substrate, and current balance devices.
The LEDs may be disposed in a light-emitting region of the light-emitting substrate and the current balance devices may be disposed in a peripheral region of the light-emitting substrate that is outside of the light-emitting region. The current balance devices control the LEDs to maintain current balance of currents applied to the LEDs.
Since the current balance devices do not generate light, the current balance devices can be covered. A side mold disposed on the peripheral region of the light-emitting substrate may be employed to cover the current balance devices. However, use of the side mold can increase the manufacturing cost of the backlight assembly. Thus, there is a need for a backlight assembly that does not require the side mold, and a display device having the backlight assembly.